A reader makes a hobby of collecting New Holland engines.
An assignment to purchase a number of old-time products,
manufactured many years ago by the New Holland Machine Company, has
brought Benjamin H. Weber, Foreman of the Janitorial Services
Section at the New Plant, a new hobby to add to that of gun, rifle
and pistol collecting which had been his main hobby for many
years.
While most of the gas engines of this type in existence today
are forty or more years old, they can still be found in many
sections of this and adjoining counties, and in most instances
continue to do the tasks they were originally designed for on the
farms of the section.
They came in a number of sizes, and were used in a wide variety
of ways from operating deep-well pumps, corn-shellers, washing
machines, and some stationary balers. A number of industries also
used them for powering machinery. Ice cream and butter makers found
them tops in their business . . . in fact for many years the New
Holland Machine Company was given credit for making things just a
bit easier on the farm, in the home, and in industry as there was a
size for almost every task.
Mr. Weber’s first desire to perpetuate these machines came
when he was given the assignment by the Advertising Department and
a number of top executives of the company to gather a few of the
machines if possible.
He found that while they are becoming a bit scarcer due to the
fact that newer and less cumbersome engines are supplanting them,
and also because few if any parts are available, there were still
enough of the machines left to more than supply the demand at that
time.
After fulfilling his assignment, he found to his delight that
there was one or more for himself, and his collection has since
grown. He makes an effort to buy only those that are still in top
running order, then cleans them up, makes minor repairs and
refinishes them. End result is that they look almost as new and
colorful as the day they left the plant years before.
One of his prize pieces is a half-horse job in perfect
condition. In addition there is a 1-1/2 horsepower engine with
single flywheel, one of only a few of that model to be
manufactured, and Ben also has them up to 5 horsepower in size.
Mr. Weber’s love for collecting old guns began many years
ago when he quite often attended old-time rifle shoots at
Shartlesville, Pennsylvania with George Landis, one of the founders
of the Landis Valley Museum, now being managed and operated by the
State.
Some of the rifles he still owns were used at these matches, and
Mr. Weber was on many occasions able to record scores of 96 points
out of a possible 100 with them.
